The PLA® Conference aims to provide the framework for discussions on how to best manage data, the golden oil of any laboratory. Therefore, the speakers of the first session dedicated to this important topic introduced and developed concepts such as FAIR, Data Stewardship and Master Data Design.

PLA2025EU Takeaway: Change Management isn’t just a buzzword

Surprisingly, the panel discussion was all about people and that change management isn’t just a buzzword; shift to digital mindset determine the success in a digital transformation journey. There is a real need for effective change management programmes. Firstly, employees at all levels of the organisation need to be educated about the importance of data and the importance of managing it correctly throughout its lifecycle.

While gaining a deeper understanding of the importance of data management, the need to focus on master data and develop new approaches and new skills, such as master data designers, data stewards, etc., becomes clear.

Data stewards should become the backbone of FAIR data and high-quality data, bridging IT and science.

Last but not least, there is a need for educational initiatives on data stewardship. Universities should consider including this topic in their programmes for future lab managers and analysts.

PLA2025EU Takeaway: Users experience matters

Fact is that solution providers from the lab informatics industry also have a role to play in facilitating the digital mindset shift. User experience matters and making the tools easier to use would lead to better adoption and impact. Machine learning could be applied in many areas of laboratory processes. And of course, AI in the lab is exciting, but trust, data quality and strong governance remain top priorities.

In the numerous interactive workshops organised by our premium and gold sponsors, the presentations ranged from introducing the AI revolution in the laboratory, sharing practical approaches to realising the digital lab of the future and demonstrating the accelerated introduction of digitalised processes to presenting new solution for scheduling and planning lab activities.

PLA2025EU Takeaway: Testimonials

The feedback on this special edition of PLA2025EUROPE has been remarkable and we wanted to share some of it with you to finalise this summary.

Still energized from last week’s PLA2025EUROPE in Milan! It was an incredible opportunity to dive deep into the latest trends in data management, digital transformation, and AI in the lab. From data strategy to stewardship, governance, and FAIR data, empowering modern data ecosystems to unlock real value.Marilyne  Labasque, Lead Consultant: R&D Data Steward Lead for the Pharma Industry @ ZONTAL

I had a great experience on the first day of the PLA2025 Europe! The sessions were not only highly informative but also engaging, offering deep insights into the latest advancements in paperless lab technologies. The speakers were truly inspiring, sharing their expertise and innovative ideas. The event was impeccably organized, with seamless transitions between sessions and ample opportunities for networking with industry professionals. The atmosphere was vibrant and collaborative, making it a perfect platform for learning and exchanging ideas. I’m eagerly looking forward to the rest of the conference and the valuable knowledge it will undoubtedly continue to provide! Quality Assurance Referent @ CURRENTA

PLA2025EUROPE what a conference! For me, the main takeaway: center your digitalization strategy around people. Opportunity to exchange thoughts, lessons learned and meet great people from industry who are driving digitalization. New ideas are on the way!Global Quality Control Improvements Manager at STADA Group

It was a pleasure to be presenter in the 2025 Paperless Laboratory Academy conference in Milano. Many interesting inputs and discussions in plenary sessions and workshops. SGS contributed with a new vision on Master Data Designer for IT Laboratory Solution and shared the experience on the SGS Global/Local Laboratory Digital Strategy. Alessio Tremolada, Global Laboratory Consulting & Innovation manager @ SGS

It was an absolute honour to deliver the closing remarks at the PLA2025Europe conference, wrapping up two days of discussions and demonstrations. The experience was both professionally rewarding and incredibly enjoyable, especially with the almost full attendance and active engagement even in the final session. It’s clear that master data migrations from legacy systems are a pressing concern across various industries. Thank you to PLA for the opportunity and to my colleagues to the great panel discussion.Gunnar Zoch, Global LIMS Master Data Lead @ LONZA

The final day of the PLA2025 Europe was absolutely amazing! It was so inspiring to see that, no matter where we are in the world or the size of our company, we all face the same challenges when it comes to digitalization: acceptance, cost-time factors, and the willingness to embrace change. The sessions were incredibly practical and provided some amazing solutions and strategies to tackle these issues, making them extremely relevant and valuable. The event was incredibly well-organised, and the collaborative atmosphere fostered some truly great discussions and networking opportunities. It was a fantastic conclusion to an excellent conference, and I’m excited to apply what I’ve learned. Quality Assurance Referent @ CURRENTA

Interested to know which are the next editions? Remain in the know by subscribing to our newsletters.

Next coming edition in 2025:

PLA2025USA | Orlando | October

PLA2025India | Hyderabad | November

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Laboratories are striving for more and more automated and digitalised processes. They are embarking on numerous transformational projects, empowered by their corporate strategies and business priorities.

While doing so, the desire to embrace data centric approach grows within the stakeholders and as such Data moves to the centre of basically all decision-making.Therefore, the effective management of digital information becomes critical to the advancement of scientific research, innovation and informed decision-making.

FAIR, the guiding principle for optimising usability of digital data

This is when the FAIR concept, Findable, Accessible, Interoperable and Reusable, is proving to be a guiding principle for optimising the management and usability of digital data.

The FAIR principles were first introduced in 2016 in a groundbreaking publication that addressed the challenges associated with the growing volume, complexity and fragmentation of digital data in various disciplines.

The core idea behind FAIR is to ensure that data is not only stored securely but also curated in a way that makes it discoverable, understandable and applicable in different contexts.

Unlike traditional data management practises, which often focus only on retention, FAIR emphasises the need for data to serve as a resource for future innovation. By adhering to these principles, collaboration in data sharing can be enhanced, facilitating the reproducibility of scientific work and maximising the value of digital resources.

The FAIR principles benefit a wide range of stakeholders. They enable researchers to find relevant datasets efficiently, provide standardised protocols for accessing data, ensure compatibility between different systems and tools, and allow datasets to be reused in new and innovative ways.

FAIR not only brings tangible scientific and economic benefits but also contributes to building a solid foundation for open science, ethical data management and sustainable knowledge ecosystems.

PLA® European edition, Central Theme: “Connecting. Empowering. Accelerating.”

The 12^th edition of the PLA® European Conference, Central Theme: “Connecting. Empowering. Accelerating.”, will lay the groundwork for a deeper exploration of how FAIR principles can address today’s data stewardship challenges while fostering a culture of transparency, collaboration and innovation.

Mastering Data Stewardship at PLA2025Europe 

Data stewardship ensures that data is sustainably FAIR. This involves knowing and documenting what types of data an organisation holds, assessing data quality, understanding where data assets are located and monitoring data usage.

In this way, it ensures effective management and monitoring of data throughout its lifecycle and guarantees its quality, security, privacy and accessibility. In this way, high-quality data is accessible, usable, secure and, above all, trustworthy, which should make it possible to quickly detect quality problems with new data.

In summary, data stewardship provides the operational backbone for implementing and sustaining the FAIR principles, while FAIR provides a structured framework to guide and measure stewardship efforts. Together, they enable sound data management and maximise the value of data for science, innovation and decision-making.

At the PLA® Conference, we are proud to offer this special session with the valued contribution of industry leaders from Astrazeneca, SGS, the University of Southampton, Physical Sciences Data Infrastructure initiative and Zontal.

Follow us to stay informed about all the other sessions we are preparing with thought leaders from Roche Diagnostics, Lonza, Menarini, Esteve, Walloon Agricultural Research Centre and others.

Save your free place and register now!

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Discussions at the 11th edition of the Paperless Lab Academy® Conference Europe

Published in EINpresswire 

The PLA® Conference is pleased to announce its 11th European edition, which will take place on 12 and 13 March 2024 in the city of Milan, Italy, at the Hotel Meliá Milano.

The conference is the place to be for anyone thinking of implementing, consolidating, integrating, simplifying digital processes in their labs, and improving data-driven decisions. Data, Processes, People, Technology, and Compliance are the backbone of the program of each edition.

A two-day event that includes:

– Plenary talks and panel discussions

from industry leaders who share their visions and use cases, explain their strategies for tackling a specific project and share their lessons learnt along the way.

– Product deep dive workshops

where our sponsors present their latest solutions and their subject matter experts share their experience and knowledge on specific topics.

– Networking in the Exhibition Hall

a true showcase with high-quality networking opportunities to gather in-depth information with colleagues, speakers, and vendors.

– Training courses

to deepen knowledge on specific topics.

A unique opportunity that is only possible with the support of the PLA® partners. More than 60 solution and service providers sponsoring all editions around the globe.

The project was launched in Europe in 2012 with the aim of creating a platform for discussion that ensures a collaborative atmosphere between suppliers and visitors. The PLA conference program is intended for managers and executives from R&D, QC, OpEx, IT and QA departments in the bio/pharma, cosmetics, biotechnology, service labs, chemicals, consumer goods, food and beverage sectors.

In 2023, a long-standing project that had unfortunately been delayed by the pandemic was finally realised. The PLA® conferences are now present in Europe, India, and the United States. The 2023 editions proved to be strong and robust. The programs addressed the challenges of successfully implementing digital lab transformation initiatives. The discussions aimed to question some paradigms and encourage the shift from an application-centric mindset to a digital one,” comments Isabel Muñoz-Willery, Event Director at Paperless Lab Academy®

 In 2024, the PLA® Conferences return with their 11th European edition, their 5th in India and their second in the USA.

Join the discussions!

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One of the critical aspects of this transformation is the digitization of laboratory processes in the manufacturing industry. Laboratories play a pivotal role in ensuring product quality, innovation, and compliance.

Digitalizing laboratory processes is not without its challenges. Laboratories generate vast amounts of data that need to be managed, analysed, and stored securely. Moreover, laboratory operations involve complex workflows, stringent regulatory compliance, and interdisciplinary collaboration between scientists, engineers, and data analysts. Overcoming these challenges requires more than just implementing digital tools; it necessitates a holistic approach, which is where the ecosystem mindset comes into play.

The ecosystem mindset refers to viewing digital transformation as an interconnected and collaborative effort involving various stakeholders, both within and outside the organization. It recognizes that no single technology or department can drive successful transformation in isolation. Instead, organizations are encouraged ­­­­­­to create a dynamic ecosystem of partners, technologies, and talent that work seamlessly together to achieve common goals.

This article anticipates the discussions that will take place at the Paperless Lab Academy® USA on November 15-16 in Raleigh, NC. The opening session in particular, led by Pat Pijanowski, John Conway, and Lloyd Colegrove, will set the stage by challenging the current paradigm of application-centric approach.

They will introduce the concept of ecosystem mindset. The digital ecosystem has much more to offer today than it did when labs started adopting LIMS, LES, and ELN. The ecosystem mindset approach is too powerful to simply be overlooked.

Key Elements of the Ecosystem Mindset

• Collaboration: An ecosystem mindset encourages collaboration between different departments, functions, and even external partners. In the context of laboratory digitalization, this means breaking down silos between R&D, quality control, and IT to create a unified approach to data management and analysis.

• Openness to Innovation: An ecosystem mindset means being open to innovative solutions from multiple sources. Manufacturers should seek out technology partners, start-ups, and research institutions to tap into cutting-edge advancements in laboratory automation, data analytics, Machine Learning and AI.

• Scalability: Digital transformation in laboratories should be scalable and allow for the integration of new tools and technologies when needed. An ecosystem approach ensures flexibility to adapt to evolving requirements.

• Data Sharing: Laboratories generate valuable data that can benefit other parts of the organization. An ecosystem mindset approach encourage data sharing across departments to enable better decision-making and process optimization.

• Compliance and Security: Regulatory compliance and data security are paramount in laboratory operations. An ecosystem mindset includes robust governance mechanisms to ensure that all digital processes comply with regulatory requirements and reinforce data integrity.

Benefits of an Ecosystem Mindset in Laboratory Digitalization

• Accelerated Innovation: Collaboration within an ecosystem can lead to faster innovation cycles. Scientists can access external expertise and resources, leading to the development of breakthrough products and processes.

• Improved Quality Control: Real-time data sharing and analytics enable better control of the production. Manufacturers can identify and address quality issues early in the production process, reducing waste and improving product quality. With adequate ML and AI models, issues can even be anticipated and avoid.

• Enhanced Efficiency: Streamlined laboratory workflows and automated data analysis can significantly improve operational efficiency. This leads to cost reductions and a shorter time-to-market for new products.

• Better Regulatory Compliance: An ecosystem mindset approach ensures that regulatory compliance is built into digital processes from the outset, reducing the risk of costly regulatory issues.

• Futureproofing: The scalability and adaptability inherent in an ecosystem mindset make it easier for manufacturers to keep pace with technological advances and market trends.

The digital transformation of laboratory processes in the manufacturing industry is not a stand-alone endeavour. To succeed on this complex and data-intensive path, organizations must adopt an ecosystem mindset. By fostering collaboration, openness to innovation, scalability, data sharing, and a strong focus on compliance and security, manufacturers can realize the full potential of digitalization in their laboratories. The ecosystem mindset is not just a strategic choice; it’s the key to staying competitive and resilient in the rapidly evolving landscape of modern manufacturing.

Opening session: Adopt an ecosystem mindset for successful digital transformation + panel discussion

The Ecosystem for Digital Transformation is All Around Us!

Pat Pijanowski, former Managing Director at Accenture Scientific Informatics Services

The Cloud, Edge Computing, 5G Networks, Low-Code/No-Code BPM solutions, Artificial Intelligence & Machine Learning, Augmented and Extended Reality, Broadband communications around the world….  The ecosystem for digital transformation is all around us!  One only needs to look at the many ways in which our everyday lives have been transformed over the past couple decades to see the promise of the tools available to us in today’s world.  And yet, so many organizations have struggled to leverage these same digital enablers within the laboratory environment.  Why is that?  And what must we do?

Successfully bringing Digital Transformation to the Lab requires us all to think about things a bit differently than we have in the past.  Successful Digital Transformation requires us to adopt an “Ecosystem Mindset” instead of an “Application Mindset.” And the good news is……. It’s Happening!!!

There is No Such Thing as “Just” a Digital Transformation

John F. Conway, Chef Visioneer Officer at 20/15 Visioneers

Culture Change enables strategy adoption and the ability to adopt new strategies such as a Scientific Data/Process and Decision Strategy and make them actionable. What also transforms is the science and technology as well as all their processes and very importantly the “unknown” art of the possible! This talk will highlight current use cases and lessons learned.

Fundamental Problem Solving, a simple but transformative discipline

Lloyd Colegrove, former Director of Data Service at Dow Chemicals

Digital transformation and culture change go hand-in-hand and are critical to taking advantage of what new digital technologies have to offer, but in your operational environment have you ever considered how your newly transformed and digitally enabled workforce will successfully perform to solve operational problems and improve operational performance?

“Fundamental Problem Solving” is a discipline formalized around the old elementary school science fair concept of hypothesis and testing, combined with the complexities of “adult” technological issues around problem identification and solving.

Three questions, which your elementary school science teacher did NOT teach you, form the basis for powerful industrial problem solving of operational issues that mysteriously recur even after you think you have put them to rest, or identifying and mitigating so-called “multi-effect” problems – problems that do not have one clear or obvious root cause. Serendipitously, the precepts of fundamental problem solving can be applied to all aspects of life including but not limited to – career development, family vacation debates, and even where you and your partner may go for dinner tonight!

Join the discussions at the Paperless Lab Academy® 2023 USA!

Get your free pass! REGISTER NOW *

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